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Columbus Blue Jackets Today

Mahiedine Mekhissi thought he was winning his third straight European Championship 3,000-meter
steeplechase title yesterday and wanted to celebrate in style — bare-chested through the finishing
straight.

Instead, the Frenchman added another chapter to his controversial career when he was
disqualified for taking off his shirt and bib for the last 100 meters in Zurich.

Two years ago, he violently pushed the championship mascot after winning his second title, and a
year earlier he threw punches at a French rival runner at a major meet.

At first, Mekhissi was given a belated warning for his partial strip, and said “it was just the
emotion” taking over. But Spain, which stood to gain a bronze medal if Mekhissi was disqualified,
protested, and after appeal and counterappeal, Mekhissi was scrapped from the results.

“When I took off my vest,” he said, “it was because of my joy. I was so happy to defend my
title.”

Gold still remained French as Yoann Kowal moved up into the winner’s position, Poland’s Krystian
Zalewski took silver, and Spain’s Angel Mullera the bronze.